underweight. What Can I do?

Rachel - posted on 03/24/2012

Have they sent him to a specalist to rule out other conditions .My son is 12 and had lost waight and was under the percetile for his age and they checked for disorders such as glutin, diabetes ,thiroid all test were fine six moths later he had a growth spirt . She recommended i have a diatition but i read on it ways to increase calleries ... I use carnation instant breackfast whole milk daily another idea make smoothies . Extra butter oils potatoes, rice high carb diet . hope it helps . Your boy is quit younger than my situiation. But it doen'nt hurt to ask . Hope this helps

Kat - posted on 03/24/2012

My son is underweight as well. Try adding fatty things like half and half to things you make. humus , peanut butter (if not allergic to) beans, cheese on veggies. A Dr. rec this to me and it actually does help.

Mary - posted on 03/24/2012

My Grandson has the same problem. He had no real interest as a newborn in eating...he was a sipper. He is almost 2 and still underweight but looks great. He drinks carnation instant breakfast everyday and likes it. So atleast my daughter knows he is getting what he needs for norishment. He is becoming a picky eater also. What he will eat one day may not be the case the next. Good luck.

Melissa - posted on 03/24/2012

I agree with the other moms, I wouldn't be too worried as long as weight isn't being lossed. Both of my sons have been under weight since birth. I have a 12yr old that is 5ft 5in and weighs 95lbs eats like a grown man and just doesn't gain weight. My younger son is 3 1/2 and weighs 30lbs. He is short but so are my husbands family. He could care less about eating so I try to use a lot of vegetables and fruits in meals. He will eat when he is hungry. Every child is different and has different genes. A lot of children are overweight and drs tend to go overboard when a child is underweight. As long as he is active and not loosing weight he is fine.( I do give him whole milk also.)

Wanda - posted on 03/24/2012

My grand daughter is almost 5 (b. 6/20) and weighs 30lbs very tall and skinny. Now has a g-tube for night feedings. Still not putting on tons of weight, but worth a try.

Caroline - posted on 03/24/2012

My son who is two has feeding issues due to neurological issues and development issues. We use the Pediasure, duo cal, and I've also used benecalorie too. My son weighs 21 pounds which is light but he is also proportioned so he does not look underweight. We see a gI dr every 6 weeks to monitor his weight.





There is also boost that makes a pudding and I think Nestlé makes a juice.



Best of luck to you.

Caroline

Margarita - posted on 03/24/2012

I agree with Melissa. I think your doctor's concern is not so much with his weight, but with his weight curve. IOW, it's not that he's not heavy, but that she hasn't gained weight in six months, which is not good for a toddler. Not sure what Riley is (I'm guessing a pediatric hospital?), or what they tested for, so here are my suggestions.



First off, I agree that weekly weigh-ins are overkill at this age. I can understand monthly, but not weekly, that's just more stress. You can try to weighing him at home (if he's too light for your scale, stand on it yourself (I know, not fun) with and without him to figure out his weight and keep a chart, but bringing him to the office is just more stress for you and more $$ for your ped. Ask him or her if there is another specialist they recommend (gastroenterologist, nutritionist, behavioral therapist, etc). Otherwise, you may wish to see another ped (either in the same practice or elsewhere) and get that second opinion. Is he otherwise growing, lethargic, etc? That might give a clue to what is wrong. You mentioned trying all sorts of foods, is that just to make him gain weight, or is he plain not eating? If it's the former, I agree that you should up the protein and good fat intake (olive oil, greek yogurt, full fat dairy, meats, avocadoes, fatty fish, etc). If it's the latter, it could definitely be sensory issues, cutting molars, etc, and doctors are better equipped to diagnose such things. I'm not a fan of things like Pedia Sure and Carnation Instant Breakfast which have a lot of empty calories, so I would only use them in addition (say, after a meal if they didn't eat enough) to get whatever nutrients they are missing, rather than in the place of meals just for the sake of adding calories.



I would worry less about making things "kid friendly" and more about what your son will specifically eat (again, in terms of texture, temp, etc) and try variations on that (adding veggies and yogurt to mashed potatoes if they like things mushy, breading and oven frying meat and veggies if they like things crunchy, etc). A little food for thought: 1) They want to be like you. For example, if you are eating a grilled cheese, but they are eating cheese and toast separately, it's possible they won't want to eat it because it's different, even though you know it's the same thing and you only served them that way to make them easier to eat. Try to flatten that grilled cheese, maybe slice it in front of them so they can see it's the same thing, and they may eat it after all. 2) Everything is better from your plate. My daughter hated oatmeal when I served it to her; but if I gave her a spoonful of mine, it was delicious. Also, we could have the exact thing on our plates (like matching grilled cheeses), but she always wants to eat mine. Sometimes I just sit her on my lap and we both eat the same thing from both plates. 3) Everything is better when it can be taken away. Kid may refuse to eat their veggies. But if you ask if someone else can have them (yourself, a sibling, the kid down the street or their imaginary friend, etc) they will suddenly want it. They usually outgrow this one as they get older (as any parent whose kid has tried to ship their lima beans and brussel sprouts can tell you), but it doesn't hurt to try.



Best of luck!

Rebecca - posted on 03/24/2012

I have a 2 and 1/2 year old which is 10kgs about the same 22 Ibs He is small for his age but fine, I wouldn't worry at all every child is different.

Jennifer - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter will be 4 in May and I remember being so happy when she recently hit 30 lbs. I was a nervous wreck forever because I was so worried about what to do to help her gain. We also did pediasure for about a year, had bloodwork done, and a urinalysis (this was all before she was two). Everything came up okay. Some days she eats a lot and others not so much, but I try really hard not to stress about it. She is tiny and when she is older it will be beneficial to her. We recently switched her from whole milk (which her doctor kept telling me to keep her on due to her weight) to 2% and now she eats more. I think that the milk was making her too full to eat. Not to mention it also made her constipated. She doesn't drink too much juice, pretty much just water and milk. Just make sure he is hydrated and try not to worry. Although reading this advice two years ago I never ever would have believed that I'd be saying this- I wanted so badly to make her gain weight. Good luck.

Kelsey - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter is 2 years old and barely 24 pounds. She eats a ton but she is also very active. I think your Ped is over-reacting and that once a week checkups sounds absurd.

Emily - posted on 03/23/2012

Time to get a different pediatrician. My son has always been underweight...he eats me out of house and home though, He is just very active and burns all those calories very quickly. If YOU are concerned about his weight, try only giving him whole milk to drink, adding butter to his foods, and maybe even some high-calorie, high-fat nuts or nut butters (almond and cashews are good choices if you are concerned about peanut allergies). Be thankful he has a active metabolism. If he is happy and otherwise healthy, don't worry about it!

Melissa - posted on 03/23/2012

So, has your son's weight percentile stayed about the same or has it been dropping? With my son he was meeting other developmental milestones, running like mad, happy and inquisitive, but he wouldn't eat and his percentiles just kept dropping. I'm talking over 4 visits, so several months. Then he stopped growing. That's a good time to worry over the weight. If your son hasn't gained any weight in 6 mos, that's not so good.



If the doctors aren't helping, you can also try for developmental screening. I do't know what country you're in, but in the US you look for your local Early On program. It's frequently part of the local school system. They're responsible for screening and providing some services for kids birth to 3 years. At the least, they also know moms in the area and might be able to set you up with local moms for a support group. They might also have other, more concrete ideas on how to help him.



For your son, it sounds like he's not eating, and that can just be maddening. Mine has sensory issues that interfered with his food intake. It took us years to nail down that warm and gooey was the kiss of death, coincidentally including all baby food, but cold and crunchy was the best thing in the world. Have they sent you to a nutritionist? They may be able to help you structure things a little differently or put them in perspective.



For us, we'd been trying and trying to find the right food, and we were creating a little tyrant. We kept track of what he was eating for a bit, and logged which was actually going in. Keep a log for a bit, figure out what things he's actually taking in. When you're in that grind of trying and trying, it can be easy to be overwhelmed and not see patterns. If you write it down and look later, maybe you'll see that he likes one texture or temperature more than another. Then at each meal, offer 3 items. One of those things needs to be on the list of stuff he actually ate. After that, eating or not is completely his issue. You can only provide. He's got all the control on the intake. Figuring out to set him up with his choices and back off was one of the best things we did for our sanity, and his behavior.



We tried adding in a milkshake, but once he figured out those were coming, he stopped eating anything else. If you're still doing pediasure, you might want to change to Carnation Instant Breakfasts. They're cheaper, more portable, and have slightly more calories mixed in whole milk. We also changed how he was eating. He'd been in the high chair and must have been feeling isolated, because moving him to a booster at the table itself made a huge difference.



Another thing that helped, if he's got anything that gives oral stimulation without calories, get rid of it. We ditched the pacifier and water and they made a huge difference. If mine gets fluids it's almost always milk.



You can also have him help cook. My son and I made muffins, even just the Jiffy box mixes. He got to dump in ingredients, including shaking in the wheat germ that boosted the protein. Thought it was fantastic, and he ate more of them as a result. He also loved dipping. Pancakes were a biggie, and you can spike the batter with grated zucchini, wheat germ or powdered milk. Roasts with gravy were good, too. We also made puppy chow, cereal coated with peanut butter and chocolate. That recipe can be spiked with fiber or protein or both depending on what the child needs. (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/puppy-chow-...) I regularly add powdered milk or wheat germ to it, about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of either.



We also tried different cuisines. Had some success with stir fry eaten with chopsticks, and with using the cute little forks for bento boxes. Eating Indian food with bread was good, too.



There are other kids who've done this and survived. Heck, my uncle could only hold down peanut butter and jelly and nestle's quick for a decade and a half. He's a little odd, but functional. So, hang in there, keep exploring.



One last thing, if you really feel like there's something wrong, don't let the doctors just drop it, or let anyone else's platitudes make you feel less for it. I had so many people trot out, "They'll eat when they need to" and "If he's active he's just fine". He wasn't, and my worries and the doctor's were valid. If you're struggling to get the child to eat, and he isn't gaining weight for 6 months, your worries aren't nothing. I'll add you to my prayer list. Best of luck.

Brittany - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter is 9 and she weighs around 45 pounds. I have asked more than one doctor about this because she is a stick, but the doc says that she is fine and as long as she is eating and eating healthy, then she is fine. She is very active and eats tons of fresh fruits and veggies. I wouldn't start worrying anymore unless he starts losing weight. I have a 4 year old son and he weighs 32 pounds. Good luck and hopefully you will be able to figure something out.

Gaby - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter is 19 months old. She is now 21. She is always been in the lower weight side.

My pedi is not worry at all. She says that as long as the kid is growing, developing normally her weight is not a concern.

I do try to give her healthy fatty foods like olive oil, nuts, avocado, egg yolks, etc.

For example, I put almond butter on her oatmeal. I give her nuts for snacks.

My advise, switch pediatrician! and follow your gut!

Good luck and do not worry so much.

Julie - posted on 03/23/2012

My youngest daughter is they same way. She finally hit 20 lbs right at her 2nd birthday. At 2 1/2 she's finally up to 24 lbs. Her dad is small and has an extremely high metabolism. (he loses weight on 3000 calories a day) She has always been in the 5th percentile. We had one period last summer when she quit growing in height and that made her doctor concerned. He checked her for hyperthyroid and a did a blood panel but everything came back normal.



My mother is a dietition and she suggested that she was just burning off everything she was taking in. Her suggestion (that works really really well for Grace) was to feed her like a training athlete. They eat a lot of good protein, veggies, complex carbs, and healthy fats. Protein takes longer to digest so it "burns off" at a more consistant speed. We feed her a lot of chicken, fish, eggs, peanut butter and beans. It made more sense to me than adding fat unhealthy fats like butter, cream etc.



For example Instead of just apple slices for a snack we give her apple slices with peanut butter, or for lunch chicken salad with shredded cheese and frozen peas (sounds weird but she loves it)

Tina - posted on 03/23/2012

kids are also so active at this age they tend to burn off what they eat pretty quickly my son eats alot but doesn't put weight on because he never stops he would run while eating if I let him. Ask for a second opinion if your worried or ask to be referred to a dietician or something to help.

Amanda - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter did the same thing and we finally got referred to Riley hospital. They tested her for celiac disease and it was positive. Celiac disease Is an allergy to gluton (wheat,barley,rye) and eating these foods damage lower intestines causing poor absorbation of foods therefore poor weight gain. My daughter had a very bloated round belly and very small arms and legs and terrible gas which I was told is classic symptoms of this disease. It's a genetic disease and not a lot of doctors think to test for it but it's defiantly worth looking into.

Alexandra - posted on 03/23/2012

I dont think there is much of a worry but if you want you can try "breakfast essentials". It is found in the breakfast isle of the supermarket and we add it to the milk every morning. It has plenty of calories and it helps the kids, in a healthy way, put on weight a little bit.

Micki - posted on 03/23/2012

All children grow at different rates. As long as he's healthy and active and eating I wouldnt worry too much. My second son is 4 and just finally hit 30 lbs (my oldest son hit 30 lbs before he was 2!) he's always been very active and eats more than his older brother! He's just small. I have an extremely high metabolism so I'm assuming his is probably the same.

Sacha - posted on 03/23/2012

My son was off the weight chart from 5 months to 18 months. But he was in the 70th percentile for height that whole time. Our paediatrician was concerned enough to run a few tests (blood, urine and stool for parasites, liver and kidney function, and a bunch of other things I can't remember) but it all came back normal. He asked us specific questions like was he hungry/upset all the time (this might indicate the condition where the body doesn't absorb nutrients like it's meant to), but I said no, he's a perfectly happy, active toddler. Eventually he concluded that my son was just genetically skinny (my husband and I are both fairly skinny), and since he's still growing in height, and is happy and active and eating and drinking and achieving his other developmental milestones, that there's probably nothing to worry about. He said there is another set of (more intrusive) tests that we could do, but he didn't think it was warranted on a happy, otherwise healthy child. The paediatrician suggested we add more avocado and other fats to his diet (eg butter in the veggies, etc) and sent us on our way. My son is almost 3 now, and still only on the 3rd percentile. But no one is worried anymore because he eats like a horse!



Perhaps there are other issues that you haven't mentioned that are concerning your doctor? Is your child growing in height? Is he eating and drinking and weeing and pooing? Is he happy and active?



I think weekly weighing is excessive and not helpful. I only weigh my son monthly now.



If your doctor is stressing you out, I would suggest you get another opinion. Best of luck.

Michelle - posted on 03/23/2012

Hi! My daughter just turned 5 and she only weighs 28lbs. Her peds suggested adding dry milk to her regular cups of milk or yogurt or whatever else to boost up the calories in the food since she didnt like the pediasure. I have added it to her instant oatmeal, I have even mixed it in her mac&cheese on her plate at dinner. Kt dissolves in anything that has a texture to it. It helped her pick back up her weight after.she was.sick with a stomach bug and refused to eat.





Hope it helps. You can get it from any grocery store, its usually in the baking isle.

Michelle - posted on 03/23/2012

My son was the same. He was in 5th percentile for weight at age 2. After much hard work we now have him up to 50th at age 2.5 yrs. We had to buy a lot of fattening foods we wouldn't normally have around the house. We added pats of butter to all his regular foods, fed him cheesecake, nutella, etc. Even if he only takes a few bites, at least we're packing in as many calories as possible. He was doing monthly weight checks at that time. Weekly checking seems excessive.

Lisa - posted on 03/23/2012

My son is also 2 and he weighs 26 lbs. He is very active and eats, just doesn't gain weight. I wouldn't worry too much. My hubby and I are both average height/weight and his mom keeps telling me that he was small until he went to high school. Then he went through a growth spurt. Are there health issues with your son? I have also given my son pedia sure drinks and it doesn't seem like they have helped.

Amy - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter is going to be 3 and has been 23lbs for over a year. Her Dr said as long as she is growing and her head is growing she is fine.

Amanda - posted on 03/23/2012

My two year old twin daughters weigh 23lb and are 34.5" tall. Percentile wise, they are 70% for height and 10% for weight. Their doc says they are healthy - they both have reflux so their eating patterns vary day to day. He says ;they look healthy, alert and they are very active. He would only be concerned if they lose weight or if they fail to grow taller.



What does your insticts say about your son?



Does your son have other health issues that you did not mention? If so, that may be why the doctor is as concerned as he is.



Best of luck.

Christina - posted on 03/23/2012

When my DD was 2 she weighed the same amount. My doctor was never concerned. I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as he is eating and going to the bathroom like normal he is fine. I think your doctor is being a little anal about it. Your son sounds just fine.

Sally - posted on 03/23/2012

Get a new pediatrician. How healthy a child is should be far more important than his size. Pediasure is no where near as healthy as real food. Kids come in all different shapes and sizes.

Nichole - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter is too and she weighs 21 pounds the dr doctor label her as failure to thrive we went to other doctors the doctor said that she was okay

Laurie - posted on 03/23/2012

My twins just turned 4 and are 26 & 27 pounds. My older kids weren't that underweight but the doctor still kept telling me to feed them fat: whole milk, butter with eggs, etc... I finally got tired of buying whole milk (with the older kids) and they drink 2% and are doing just fine. My advice is to not stress about it, just feed them healthy fats (I like another lady's suggestion for avocado) and otherwise just keep to a healthy diet. I do still do whole milk for the twins since they are so much smaller than my other two are. For my son who can lose weight if we are not careful, we let him have dessert every night if he finishes a good dinner with vegetables. My doctor wants us to buy pediasure for the 26 pound 4 year old. But we're just making her eat something to get a drink of milk (which she loves) eliminating gum (she'll just chew the gum & not eat). I think that a weight check up every week is only putting money in the doctor pocket, unless he lost weight or stopped gaining. As long as he is healthy don't stress about it. I also have a nephew who is very small and they tried everything under the sun and did a bunch of tests. Didn't change anything and he is healthy & active, just small for his age.

Lyndsay - posted on 03/23/2012

My little boy will be 3 in July and although not sure exactly what he weighs these days, he still wears clothes for a 12 - 18 month old baby!

He was checked out by a paediatrician when he was younger as his weight gain was so slow (his most feeble attempt at weight gain was 4oz in 5 weeks LOL). He was thoroughly checked and the doctor ran all sorts of tests and when he discharged us, concluded that my little boy was very healthy and thriving in every way, but he was just tiny. I was also a tiny toddler and it is just one of those things.

As long as your little boy is healthy, I really wouldn't worry

Marta - posted on 03/23/2012

Don't worry as long as he is active and healthy. My oldest 2 boys were tiny even when they started school and always came in in the lower 25 percentile for weight and height-both are perfectly healthy average height & weight men in their 30s now. My third son was tall, tall, tall and very skinny-teeny, tiny waist and everybody thought he must not eat enough until they saw him eat! He was in the top percentile for his age all the way through. My youngest was in the 25th percentile until he was about 9 and then he started to gain weight and has battled his weight from then on. He has gotten it under control, but I feel bad for him because I know he gets his weight genes from me! his brothers could and did eat anything they wanted and never gained an ounce, but he could eat less and gain a lot. Not fair! I do think it's possible catching up with them now and he may have an easier time as an adult because he is used to watching what he eats and the will have to be careful now and don't have the experience to know how to be careful! Anyway, my point is all kids are different. My family tends to be on the small side so we usually have small babies and they don't get much height or weight until they are teens or older. Get another doctor, this one is driving you crazy!

Gigi - posted on 03/23/2012

Ask to see Dr. Molleston at Riley. She is a Gastro interologist who found that our underweight daughter has a VERY rare liver disease. You can also buy artificial fat and add it to the pediasure. It is called MCT ProCal and it comes in packets. We give our daughter at least two a day. The liver disease makes it so she does not process fat and the people at Mayo Clinic suggeted this so she will get the energy needed from the artificial fat. Good Luck

Jeannette - posted on 03/23/2012

My daughter fell off all the weight charts and was labeled "failure to thrive" at about that same age. Our pediatrician didn't freak out about it, but did suggest we try some fattier foods for her. The pediatrician actually suggested adding extra butter to the dishes we gave her, but I wasn't convinced that this was the way to go. Instead, we started adding AVOCADO to anything that we could and serving her non-spicy guacamole with crackers. That way we upped her intake of healthy fats. I don't know whether or not it was the avocado or she just went through a growth spurt, but eventually she did make it back onto the lower end of the charts. She'll probably always be on the low end of the chart for weight, but I think that's just the way she's built. I hope you can find something that works for your little one!

Carmen - posted on 03/23/2012

I was going to ask if they have done blood work? If his blood work comes out fine... it just maybe his matabolism....

Janelle - posted on 03/23/2012

My son is 3 and weighs about 26 pounds, he has always been small ever since he started crawling, he is very active and doesn't look sickly at all. I do feel like he could eat more though. We ran tests a year ago and nothing turned up so we weren't too concerned.

Aimee - posted on 03/23/2012

You could always try feeding him good fats. Sausage, scrambled eggs with a little cream mixed in, anything with coconut oil/milk...the more fat you eat, the better for your body. Then if he needs to gain weight, his body will take care of it. If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

Lauren - posted on 03/23/2012

I also have a very small almost 2-yr old son (he is almost 23 months at 21.5 lbs) who is not on the chart for weight and is barely on for height. Our pediatrician tested his blood for celiac & thyroid (both negative). Look at his growth chart - if it is at a plateau for height and weight, there could be a reason for it (allergies, thyroid, genetics). If you are concerned, you could get a 2nd opinion, get his blood tested and/or see an endocrinologist. Most kids who drink Pediasure use that as a meal replacement, where it should be in addition to meals. Our dr suggested adding flax seed and healthy oils (olive) to his meals to give him healthy fat. Giving "bad" fat doesn't do anything to help, just sets the stage for poor eating habits.

Audra - posted on 03/23/2012

If your son is very active, that may be the reason for him being on the lighter side. My son is 2 and half and weighs 24 lbs. We give him pediasure as well, and Enfamil formula & milk .... he has been at a steady growth rate since birth and Dr. is not worried. He is VERY active however..... and tall as well.

Regina - posted on 03/23/2012

My 7-year-old daughter weighs 35lb. She was labeled failure to thrive at 18 months. After a year and a half of testing for intestinal issues. Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital determined that she is just a small child. She started kindergarten in 18month clothes. Please don’t worry to much as long as you know you are feeding your child healthy food and the child is active.

Alice - posted on 03/23/2012

my daughter is also tiny compared to most kids her age.. I think she was in the 30% for weight but 85% for height but they aren't worried because shes very healthy, active, happy and eats.. my MD said as long as she is eating, they said she will be fine.. not all babies need to be big chunks! :) so the doctors from riley were probably correct if there isn't anything wrong (have they done blood work? i would guess so).. I dont really have much else for you other than we make sure she eats calorie dense foods and shes a healthy nut so she loves everything that is low calorie of course! (think fruits and veges).. high metabolism maybe? sorry i dont have much else for you!

Karen - posted on 03/23/2012

My 3 year old boy is just over 22llbs and only eats little portions but

Is so active! I use that as a good indicator that he is ok as he must be getting enough nutrients to have all that energy. Try not to worry as they pick up when you are anxious when they are eating etc! Xxx

Christine - posted on 03/22/2012

Is your son getting enough calories? My son has always been on the small side, and I just made sure he was getting at least 200 calories a meal, with any and all healthy snacks in between. My son adores fruit and yogurt, so I can give him any combination. My son is just 2 months shy of his 4th birthday, and he is under 35 pounds and 38 inches tall. My son gains about one pound every 3 months, otherwise he is super active, almost on the hyper side, so I know he is getting enough calories, because at least he isn't losing weight. My son, although he is small, is very healthy looking, and not super thin at all.



Overall, I would not worry about your son, unless he is lethargic, or showing other signs of malnutrition or is losing weight. Just keep offering him plenty of healthy snacks, and of course he can handle the full-fat variety of things, like cheese, etc.

Ruth - posted on 03/22/2012

Oops health issues since birth.....the other 2...

Ruth - posted on 03/22/2012

We have 3 tiny ones in our family out of 14 grandkids. One has had health 23 are just little and very active. One girl is 3 and her 18mo old sister is passing her up. I wouldn't worry if he's otherwise healthy.

Amanda - posted on 03/22/2012

Hun. My son is almost 4 yrs old and is walking the fine line of being about 30lbs. I had that problem with him. honestly if he is drinking pediasure but is just very active then its really nothing to worry about. I used to be like that as a child and from what my mom has said I really didn't hit 25lbs till I was over 4 yrs old. So check around, ask your mother and ask if you can the mother of the child's father. You may find out that it is just something that runs in the family.

Natalie - posted on 03/22/2012

Thank you so much for bringing that up about ethnicity! The medical community just came to the world to say that they know sqaut about proper weight ratios for any child but causing babies, and need to seriously reconsider alter those platforms. And even if your child isn't a differently ethnicity aside from white, as long as your child is thriving, hitting those developmental milestones when they are supposed to, are happy, eat well and aren't sickly or lethargic then (in my opinion only) your child will be fine. There is of course nothing wrong with seeking a second opinion if you feel you need it. Good luck.

Jamie - posted on 03/22/2012

My daughter is 2 /12 and she is tall for her age and she only weighs 25 pounds. She eats healthy, doesn't nap and NEVER stops moving. Her doctor isn't concerned. As long as he is eating healthy, active and not losing any weight I wouldn't be too concerned. I'd get a second opinion, it sounds like your pedi has you worried for nothing!

Jennifer - posted on 03/22/2012

My oldest daughter went through the same thing. Her peditrician had us to Kings Daughters hospital for all kinds of test, feeding therapy....if you can name it we went through it. When she was 3 1/2 the peditrician finally noticed her tonsils were swollen. He then sent us to an ear, nose and throat dr. They took her tonsils out. Suddenly she would eat and didn't want the pedisure anymore. Now she is 9 and weights 55lbs. Her weight and height are actually on the growth chart instead of being below the zero percentile. Hang in there.

Jenny - posted on 03/22/2012

I've also got a very skinny underweight 2 year old who is around 21lbs. She is very active and does eat. She drinks full fat milk and her favourite food is pasta which she would have everyday for all 3 meals. She eats a lot of bread too and loves biscuits, cakes and chocolate but doesn't eat too much. I don't worry about her any more as she is doing fine. The worst thing is getting clothes to stay up now she is out of nappies, her trousers keep falling down and she mainly wears 9-12 and 12-18 bottoms!



I would try not to worry, give him what he likes to eat even unhealthy stuff but not all the time. I wouldn't be happy about the weekly weigh-ins though as they don't gain as much at this age. Providing he's happy and healthy his weight is not so important.

Heather - posted on 03/22/2012

That's a bunch of BS. He is fine. If that were the case, my 24 pd. 2 1/2 year old daughter would be underweight, and she isn't. She is tall and skinny. I would stop the pediasure, give him whole milk and feed him normal food. Both my tiny girl and our small son are both drinking whole milk. I am not changing that till they are both 6 years old or so. I believe that it's fine for them, since they only drink about 9 to 18 oz. a day anyways. To me, that's not much milk at all for one kid.



If you personally are worried, then get a different ped. and have a complete physical done and have him really checked out. But if you are built small, your family is small, then he is small. Nothing you do, or your ped. does, is going to change that right now.



Try giving him some fatty, but healthy foods when you can. I bet he just loves to run and play and wears off everything he eats and drinks. :)



If your son seems healthy and happy, don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Stop with the weight checks every week. Maybe try once every other week, or once a month. Tell the ped. that the stress of having to worry about your son gaining a few oz. every week is really weighing on you.



Try not cooking so many kid friendly foods, try feeding him what you eat! Our daughter eats roast, pulled pork, oranges, apples, brisket, chicken, and more! She loves cheeseburgers, she would live on them if we let her.



If you need another mom to talk to with a tiny kid, you can email me at mysticbutterfly37 at yahoo.com.